49 Bad Blood
50 Bad Blood
51 Beautifully Broken
52 Beautifully Broken
53 It Hurts Me, Too
54 It Hurts Me, Too
55 9 Crimes
56 9 Crimes
57 Trouble
58 Trouble
59 I Got a Right to Sing the Blues
60 I Got a Right to Sing the Blues
61 Hitting the Ground
62 Hitting the Ground
63 Night on the Sun
64 Night on the Sun
65 Everything is Broken
66 Everything is Broken
67 I Smell a Rat
68 I Smell a Rat
69 Fresh Blood
70 Fresh Blood
71 Evil is Going On
72 Evil is Going On
73 She's Not There
74 She's Not There
75 You Smell Like Dinner
76 You Smell Like Dinner
77 If You Love Me, Why am I Dyin'?
78 If You Love Me, Why am I Dyin'?
79 I'm Alive and On Fire
80 I'm Alive and On Fire
81 Me and the Devil
82 Me and the Devil
83 I Wish I Was the Moon
84 I Wish I Was the Moon
85 Cold Grey Light of Dawn
86 Cold Grey Light of Dawn
87 Spellbound
88 Spellbound
89 Let's Get out of Here
90 Let's Get out of Here
91 Burning Down the House
92 Burning Down the House
93 Soul of Fire
94 Soul of Fire
95 And When I Die
96 And When I Die

After years of clamoring, Sookie Stackhouse, Bill Compton and company are taking a bite out of collectors with their first full-blown trading card set in 2012 Rittenhouse True Blood Premiere Edition. Highlighted by two autographs per box, the release covers the show's first four seasons.

The 96-card base set breaks down 48 episodes worth of vampires, werewolves, witches and all the other wild and weird characters the edgy show is known for. Plot synopses are included for every episode. The base set is complimented by a full 96-card parallel set. Parallel cards are inserted 1:3 packs.

Many of the show's leading stars have autographs in 2012 Rittenhouse True Blood Premiere Edition. They are led by Academy Award winner, Anna Paquin (Sookie Stackhouse) and Stephen Moyer (Bill Compton). Other standout signatures include Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette), Deborah Ann Woll (Jessica) and Lizzy Caplan (Amy Burley). In total, there are 38 different pack-inserted autographs including 11 Full-Bleed versions.

Cases come with a Die-Cut True Blood Bottle card that mimics the drink that's a central prop for the series. Other incentives include a Kristin Bauer Autograph (three cases), Alexander Skarsgard Autograph (six cases) and a 2012 Rittenhouse True Blood Premiere Edition Archive Box (18 cases) that comes with one of every insert and autograph inserted in packs.

2012 Rittenhouse True Blood Premiere Edition Product Review

Bad: Multiple autograph designs for lesser signers, insert themes are very similar to other recent sets.

The Bottom Line: 2012 Rittenhouse True Blood Premiere Edition does a great job of pulling together the first four seasons of the popular cable show. It offers a comprehensive base set filled with great write-ups and crisp images. While the autograph lineup isn't just top stars, but most are actors who made an impact on the show in some form. Complimenting the set are several inserts that do a great job of adding value. They don't have quite the same pop as Rittenhouse's recent Game of Thrones and James Bond 50th Anniversary sets, but they're still solid. The one potential danger is that the same themes are being used across multiple sets. This isn't a big deal for casual collectors who might only focus on the True Blood line. But for those going after multiple sets, some of these themes are in danger over being overused.

Staff Rating:

3.9 / 5.0

Card Design: 4.0/5.0

2012 Rittenhouse True Blood Premiere Edition has clean designs throughout. The base set packs a ton of information. Card backs are extensive, summarizing each of the first 48 episodes. Every base card has two photos, all of which are crisp. A nice touch is that card fronts reference both the season and episode number.

My favorite inserts are the Shadowbox cards. Similar to the cards in Game of Thrones, James Bond 50th Anniversary and Marvel Universe (not to mention the sports-themed cards Upper Deck has been making for years), several layers combine to make a 3D effect. A little more flair in the background would have been nice, but even without, the cards have a lot of pop.

The strength of the other basic inserts comes from the strong photography. While much of it has been used for show promotions in the past, they're still great shots. The Quotable cards are the one insert sets that underwhelm. They look and feel more like a double-sided base card.

Like all Rittenhouse products, autographs are all on-card. Several signers have two designs. Personally, I'm partial to the bloody design as it's more distinct and connects directly to the show's theme. The full-bleed design is also clean but it doesn't stand out quite as much.

Checklist: 4.0/5.0

Despite covering four seasons of the show, the 98-card base set does a good job of capturing everything. Two cards are dedicated to every episode with each giving as in-depth a synopsis as one could expect.

The autograph checklist is also strong, providing collectors with nearly every key cast member. While some important characters aren't included, it provides balance for future sets, at least if autographs from these actors are planned. Also, most of the secondary signers are more than background actors. They play key roles in the sow that make them recognizable, even if only for a handful of episodes.

The numerous other insert sets provide a lot of variety in packs. Sometimes with entertainment trading card sets there's a monotony of seeing the same people over and over with the same design. With an insert in nearly every pack, it breaks things up.

Value: 3.5/5.0

Rittenhouse has found the configuration sweet spot with products like this. A pair of hits and tons of inserts give collectors a lot to chase. And with a handful of high-end signers, there's a better chance of getting something big than in a lot of other releases.

Personally, I'm not a fan of having two different autograph cards from the same signer in a single product. Although there are fewer duplicate signers than in Rittenhouse's recent Game of Thrones set, they're still fairly common. I understand that this allows manufacturers to have smaller print runs for individual cards, but it doesn't look like the approach is adding much value. I think it can work, but only if the duplicate signers are spun off into distinct insert sets that are more than a simple design change.

I appreciate the numerous inserts Rittenhouse is offering in their products. Breaking the box, it gives a lot of perceived value. It also takes away a lot of the sting if you don't get a Sookie Stackhouse or Bill Compton autograph. No matter the break, collectors are left with a nice variety of great cards.

The Fun Factor: 4.0/5.0

2012 Rittenhouse True Blood Premiere Edition is an attractive well-designed set that delivers on nearly every level. Fans of the show who might not traditionally collect cards should really enjoy it, especially if they grew up with traditional baseball cards or movie cards that came with a stick of gum.

My one concern is for the core group of card collectors that buy a lot of Rittenhouse's products. In recent months, several of their releases are feeling very much the same. The configurations and feel for True Blood is very much the same as Game of Thrones. Hopefully the formula will get changed up a little in future.

That said, True Blood Premiere Edition has a lot of great elements. I also get very excited to see new licenses hit the hobby. Rittenhouse has been on a roll as of late in that department and it's helping breath new life into the entertainment side of the hobby and bringing new collectors along for the ride.

Ryan Cracknell | E-Mail AuthorRyan is a former member of The Cardboard Connection Writing Staff.
His collecting origins began with winter bike rides to the corner store, tossing a couple of quarters onto the counter and peddling home with a couple packs of O-Pee-Chee hockey in his pocket. Today, he continues to build sets, go after inserts with cool technologies, chase Montreal Expos and finish off his John Jaha master collection.

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